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Published: December 24th 2009
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To all our wonderful family and friends
Dec 09 finds us still adventuring….but now, just in the one place.
Each and every day in Beijing is an adventure. What was just supposed
to be a stop over to visit Adam at the end of our around the world
adventure (Malcolm tells me it’s an ‘adventure’ not a ‘holiday’) has
turned into 10months. The time has just flown by…hard to believe.
The first 6 weeks of our arrival saw us staying with Adam who kindly
gave up his bedroom for us while he slept on an airbed in the dining
room. I don’t think he anticipated us staying quite so long, so in
the end we said that since he was the one working we should take the
airbed and he should go back to his bedroom. Next comment was… ‘at
least they’re one step closer to the front door’. He was really a
good sport about it, not to mention how accommodating his girlfriend
Cristina and flat mate, Alvaro were.
Life in China has its ups and downs. It can be very challenging and
frustrating and for those times everybody trots out the phrase ‘THAT’S
CHINA’ but when it’s
everyday and more than once a day well then you
know it’s definitely a ‘down’ day. Even so, Beijing is a very exciting
city and we are having a lot of fun.
We have been very fortunate to meet some wonderful people in Beijing.
One couple in particular, Jim and Maggie, we got to play ‘teenagers’
with, at least until they moved to India. For the 4 of us….we were
basically footloose and fancy free… no houses to maintain, no lawns to
mow, no children to look after, no pets we could come go as we
pleased… living the life of a teenager. They had these wonderful
electric bikes that we used to ‘dink’ on and go ‘hooning’ all around
Beijing. The bikes have a range of about 50km before the battery runs
out and they go about 35-40 km/hr. Sooo much fun and great for those
sweltering hot summer days. When we are not ebiking around we have
our little Beijing bicycles…great for pottering around locally.
There’s a certain Beijingness that you experience when you are using
peddle/ebike power, you get to see, feel and smell the city which you
don’t get from the air conditioned comfort of
Beijing bicycles..
nobody takes any notice of the signs a car. Another
experience not to be missed is mixing it with the masses on the
subway. It’s fine for Malcolm as he manages to stand head and
shoulders above most people whilst I get lost in the crowd. I kid you
not….I have seen him standing there looking for me and I have been
right in front of him! To be honest, with 2100 new cars on the road
per day it’s easier and quicker to take the subway….and it only costs
2rmb (~30cents) to go anywhere in Beijing.
To sum up Beijing for us: wonderful hutong areas where you see the
locals walking around in their pyjamas (the old hutongs still have
communal toilet/bathing facilities), The Great Wall… black tie dinner
on the Great Wall, a nice little 10km trek from Jinshanling to
Simatai, a visit to the Old Summer Palace (more walking), Qing Tombs
etc. 60th anniversary parade celebrating the Founding of a Republic
which we, like the millions of other Chinese, watched on TV, a
plethora of restaurants, cheap and expensive, so it’s a case of ‘what
do you feel like for dinner tonight’, interesting local food stalls
with just about anything that flies, walks
Yuppie International Condos
we rented a studio apt here and swims. DVDs galore,
hazy days when you don’t know where the fog finishes and smog starts
or is really only fog? Weekly manicures, pedicures,
hairwashes/massages and in Summer, some dragon boat paddling. And of
course we mustn’t forget all our couchsurfers, we have had visitors
from all around the world which has given us many new friends. In
between all the couch surfers we had a visit from my brother, Graeme,
Carolyn, Josh and Matthew and my cousin William….it’s good for honing
your bargaining skills. Just as well we decided to rent a 3br apt.
Our apartment is about a 15 min walk from Adam’s place but
interestingly enough we have to make a date to see each other. He
reckons we are more social than he is. He is still working in event
management although I do feel he is ready to move on, so will see what
2010 brings…with the World Expo in Shanghai next year, it may be a
move to Shanghai.
Lani has spent all year with her head in the books. She was enrolled
in International Global Studies with a major in Spanish and Chinese.
Her perseverance and hard work has paid
off…she has had a very
successful year but the biggest thing she has learnt is that if she
applies herself and focuses, she can do anything she wants. With that
in mind, 2010 she is switching to Nutrition.
That about wraps up the Roving Ritchies’ year. At this point I would
just like to say that our year would not have been so wonderful
without the support of our children and family particularly my sister
Gillian and brother in law, Gary who took Lani into their home and
have emotionally supported and financially subsidised her through her
challenging first year at uni. More adventures next year!
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, lots of love, laughter and of
course good health for 2010.
Love and hugs
Malcolm, Lesley, Adam and Lani
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Ian R
non-member comment
merry christmas
Hi Malcolm and Leslie Hoping it is not too cold in Beijing today. A balmy 30deg on the coast today. Its been very dry. Everyones lawns turns brown at one stage. All well over here. any moves to return at this stage. have a great day Ian